My 1st attempt

[whodeydan76]

Erock68... man good looking tank. I started with a 75 with no sump and around 200# of live rock straight from a buddies tank. I started cycling with just sand/crushed coral and then added my lr on week 2. I hadnt read that the rock goes in before the sand.. and eventually my blenny and diamond goby caused a collapse. I lost a chromis in that collapse but everything else was fine.
I had a huge problem with diatom and that was the only real problem algae I had. I started my tank with tap water and instant ocean and once the brown crap started I decided to start doing 15 gallon water changes weekly...with rodi water from my lps and I worked there so I got it for next to nothing. I could not afford a rodi system at my house at the time. This time when I set up my tank I will be buying a rodi system before I get my tank lol.
Did you have to use a booster with your rodi system? I have awesome water pressure I was just wondering about your experience. I also wanted to tell you that I ended up giving away all of my blue legged crabs as they were eating my snails like crazy...for their shells. I eventually added red leg crabs and all was well.

great looking tank and I will be keeping up with this thread... as I plan to start a thread myself when i start my new tank build within the next month or two.

 

[erock68]

Erock68... man good looking tank. I started with a 75 with no sump and around 200# of live rock straight from a buddies tank. I started cycling with just sand/crushed coral and then added my lr on week 2. I hadnt read that the rock goes in before the sand.. and eventually my blenny and diamond goby caused a collapse. I lost a chromis in that collapse but everything else was fine.
I had a huge problem with diatom and that was the only real problem algae I had. I started my tank with tap water and instant ocean and once the brown crap started I decided to start doing 15 gallon water changes weekly...with rodi water from my lps and I worked there so I got it for next to nothing. I could not afford a rodi system at my house at the time. This time when I set up my tank I will be buying a rodi system before I get my tank lol.
Did you have to use a booster with your rodi system? I have awesome water pressure I was just wondering about your experience. I also wanted to tell you that I ended up giving away all of my blue legged crabs as they were eating my snails like crazy...for their shells. I eventually added red leg crabs and all was well.

great looking tank and I will be keeping up with this thread... as I plan to start a thread myself when i start my new tank build within the next month or two.

Thanks for the comments!

No, not using a booster with my RO/DI, just a straight 75gpd. I now know how to manage it. I do a 15 gal change, every weekend, and get my next water change prepped. I have 3, 5 gal jugs, set aside for topoffs. I have 6 total.

As for my Electric Blues...no real problems yet. The like to mess with my Conch's but, they give it back too. Pretty feisty little ones. My new Flame Hawk was checking out the crab and he too, put him in his place. I can see my tank will have a guardian.

 

[erock68]

Here's the reef as of 1-28-13:

My new addition, a Flame Hawkfish:

Caught this pic, of my Electric Blue, at lights on, right after molting. I grabbed the full skeleton, out of the tank. My daughter thought it was "icky" SO..... , I did what any normal dad would do...I chased her around the house with it:

I plan on adding more corals, after the LEAR frag swap in Feb. Doing some research too, on clams. I will see what they have at the swap.

 

[erock68]

I wanted to post some shots, of what's in the reef, before the 23rd of this month. I have a bunch of coral, on reserve for the LEAR frag swap, via Fragswapper. This is going to be a wallet-buster, but I am soooo looking forward to it. Lots of great coral to be had!! I just need it to come sooner before I order more.

Here's how it's going, so far, I hope you like:

 

[erock68]

Here is a list of what's going in:

Zoas:

True Spiderman
Jason Fox Sexy Alligators
Gold Dust
Miami Vice
True Armor of Gods
True LA Lakers
Bam Bam's
True Fire & Ice

Acans:

Blood Red
Rainbow Echinata

Favia:

Mini Prism Favia

Misc:

Red Blasto, Golden Eye Chalice, Jason Fox My Miami Chalice, Yellow Birdsnest, Blue Candy Cane, Orange & Green Pavona.

 

[Kawi9_cf]

I really like your tank! It looks great!

 

[erock68]

Here are just two, of the frags I picked up, at the LEAR event:

Red Acan:

Yellow Birdsnest:

 

[DM1975]

Awesome build, looks very nice!

 

[erock68]

Thanks for the replies all, I really appreciate it :wavehand:

Here's more of the haul:

Prism Favia:

LA Lakers Zoa:

Miami Vice Zoa:

Armor of the Gods Paly:

I have more to post, keep an eye out!

 

[erock68]

The newest addition, my War Coral:

Tank as of 3-5-13. Also added some more Frogspawn:

 

[Dholmblad]

really liking the colors in your tank. looks like everything is coming along nicely. How are you keeping the cheto out of the skimmer area?

 

[erock68]

Better pic of my War Coral, from Live Aquaria.

 

[erock68]

really liking the colors in your tank. looks like everything is coming along nicely. How are you keeping the cheto out of the skimmer area?

Since I have the flow, from the skimmer area in the fuge, from the bottom, it really doesn't grow in that direction.

Keeping the little pieces, out of my return pump, is something else. I clean the pump, with every water change.

 

[erock68]

Since Getting my Armor of the Gods Pally, the smallest polyp in the back, has really taken off:

 

[erock68]

New Inhabitants. My Anthias:

 

[erock68]

New Zoa plug, from a friend, not fully opened yet. Just added after acclimation:

 

[erock68]

With some readjustments, here is how the reef looks. This is today, at coral feeding time, using Reef Roids. I spot feed some, then broadcast feed:

When I just received these Candy Canes, there were 3 Heads. Now thirteeen and almost all are ready to split:

 

[erock68]

Update for 5-15-13.

This is a tribute to all those, especially on the forums, that have helped me and answered my silly questions. I listened. Just past the 1 year mark. I still get asked, how do you keep your sand that white? My cleanup crew! 2 Conchs, 2 Mexican turbos and the rest, regular CUP snails...about 5. Doesn't seem like a lot but they do a good job. The regular snails are still from my initial buy. Have not added another, since then.

Words to live by: "Nothing good, happens fast, in this hobby."

 

[erock68]

More pics.

Now, the one coral, that has given me trouble, is my Rainbow Monti. It had great color when I first got it. It sits on the same LR, same position, as when first introduced, into the reef. I would say for 5 months. Now, it's still spreading.....really good actually, but not the same color. It's encrusted, on a rock, at the highest point in my tank. It seems to bleach, on the ends, but then comes back. You can make out the 2 frags I had. One on the left, that looks like a seal with its nose in the air, and a smaller piece, on the right. They have since grown together. Not dying and all params are in check. I'm running a 6 lamp T-5 setup. I got this frag , from a friend who was running Metal Halides. So I keep it, as close to the lights as possible. I don't want to disturb it, as it seems to be doing ok...not great. I dose Alk and Calcium daily from BRS:



First introduced. I'm sentimental about it because, it just wont quit!:

One of my first corals in the tank, was this Monti. Also from a friend, running Metal Halides. I was given 2 pieces and it never grew. I called it my Pringles frag, because it sat like a chip in the LR. I mean 2 SMALL CHIPS. I left it alone and now, it's starting to spread:

 

[YoungREEFA]

hows the skimmer performing? and could you do a parameter update?! looks good